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Pineal Gland Abnormalities And The Relationship Of Melatonin To The Development And Symptom Severity Of Schizophrenia: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Kathryn Margretta

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to critique the literature focusing on the role of pineal gland volume and function and the development of schizophrenia by asking the question, "What is the relationship between pineal gland physiologic function and development and symptom severity of schizophrenia? It is crucial that health care providers continue advocate for better understanding of schizophrenia in order to develop a more appropriate treatment and relive the suffering of those with schizophrenia. A review of published literature focusing on the pineal glands association with schizophrenia was performed using several databases including: ScienceDirect, PubMED, Google Scholar, Cumulated Index …

Race-Based Adjustment In Egfr Algorithms: An Integrative Literature Review, Leah E. Utt

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: There is a 3-fold risk of developing end stage kidney disease in Non-Hispanic African Americans compared to Non-Hispanic White Americans (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), one of the fundamental algorithms for coordinating treatment for kidney disease which factors in age, race, gender, and levels of creatinine, may pose an issue in this vulnerable population. Currently African Americans receive a correction factor between 1.21 and 1.16 to their eGFR to adjusting the value higher, potentially impacting appropriate kidney disease classification, and delaying beneficial interventions (National Kidney Foundation, 2020).

Methods: A systematic literature search …

Survivors Of Human Trafficking: Reintegration Into The Community And Society, Charrita Ernewein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Human trafficking is a highly profitable human rights violation and is labeled as one of the fastest growing industries worldwide. Few studies provided a detailed analysis of the survivors' accounts of their experiences and how these experiences influenced their reintegration into society. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experience of female survivors of sex trafficking as they reintegrated into the community and society using the survivors' voice. This study also aimed to describe the survivors experience with healthcare providers. This study obtained data from hard to detect populations (female survivors aged 18 and older) through …

Cognitive Rehearsal, Self-Efficacy, And Workplace Incivility Among Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Alina Diaz-Cruz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Workplace incivility is a widespread problem in the clinical work environment that affects present and future generations of nurses. The purpose of this study was to determine if a cognitive rehearsal intervention (i.e., TeamSTEPPS® DESC script) would increase senior nursing students' self-efficacy, decrease workplace incivility experienced in the clinical work environment, and if nursing students' pre-intervention self-efficacy level would be indirectly associated with post-intervention workplace incivility. A quasi-experimental, one-group pretest-posttest study was used to measure the effect of a cognitive rehearsal intervention on nursing students' self-efficacy levels and workplace incivility experienced in their clinical rotation at an acute care center. …

Hospital Readmission After Major Abdominal/Colorectal Surgeries: A Mixed-Methods Study, Ansu Sebastian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Hospital readmission after major abdominal and colorectal surgeries is a complex phenomenon that impacts the quality and affordability of healthcare. A comprehensive review of the literature after implementation of the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program in 2012 revealed a paucity in studies that analyzed patients' perceptions regarding the phenomenon of readmission. In addition, there is a need for randomized trials that assess the impact of interventions on the rate of readmission among complex surgical patients. A mixed-methods study was conducted to combine descriptive factors impacting hospital readmission with patients' perceptions to produce meaningful data. The results indicated that although discharge education …

Home Healthcare Embodied Agents: Priorities And Opportunities, Faith Sauber

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Prevention is a central tenet of modern healthcare. New ways of informing, educating, and allowing patients to keep track of their health are continually developing. Integrating technology that bridges the gap between healthcare providers and their patients is essential in today's digital age. One emerging idea is the use of home healthcare embodied agents. Embodied agents are conservational interfaces that can interact and look like human beings. They can exhibit both verbal and non-verbal language cues and be capable of having a natural conversation. This kind of technology could help both patients and healthcare providers by giving patients a helpful …

Using Physical Exercise Interventions To Reduce Depression And Anxiety In People With Lung Cancer, Jordan E. Dubocq

Honors Undergraduate Theses

People with lung cancer are at a high risk of developing anxiety and depression during cancer treatments. Previous research has shown physical activity to be effective in improving psychological symptoms in people with cancer, however, the majority of studies have focused on female breast cancer survivors. The purpose of this literature review was to determine if physical activity interventions can effectively and feasibly reduce anxiety and depression in people with lung cancer who are undergoing treatment. A database search was conducted in CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, and SPORTDiscus. The search resulted in 265 articles and 9 were selected for …

Facilitation Of Enviromental Factors To Reduce Sound Decibels In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Literature Review, Cassandra Hanlon

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This literature review investigates nursing interventions to reduce decibel levels in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The secondary purpose of this review was to evaluate if the interventions to reduce noise in the NICU had different outcomes for normal weight premature infants and infants afflicted with neonatal abstinence syndrome. The data bases for completing this review were Google Scholar, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL Plus), PubMed, and Elton B. Stephens Co. (EBSCO). The key search words included ‘NICU and decibels', ‘reducing decibels', ‘neonatal abstinence syndrome' ‘decibels', ‘preterm infants' and 'normal weight preterm infant*'. The …

Nursing Education For Lgbtq Patients: A Literature Review, Shelley A. Jones

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the United States (US), lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals are at an increased risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections, are less likely to receive recommended health screenings, are more likely to abuse alcohol and other substances, are at a higher risk for attempting suicide, and experience greater health disparities compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Compounding these health-related problems is a significant discrepancy whereby LGBTQ people have poor or no access to health care. One approach to correct the health disparities the LGBTQ community faces is through LGBTQ-specific health education for nursing students. A review of the …

First Impressions Of The Bedside Nurse From The Patient Perspective, Sharon Imes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Relationships begin with first impressions. Since nurses are the cornerstone to hospital experiences, the nurse-patient relationship is of vital importance, beginning with the first impression. The nurse-patient relationship has the potential to impact the patient's trust, comfort, fear, and ultimately satisfaction with the entire hospital experience. Evidence is found in other disciplines emphasizing the importance of the first impression, however there is minimal research in nursing about first impressions of the bedside nurse. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the first step in understanding the first impression of the bedside nurse from the patient perspective. Additionally, this research …

Factors Associated With Resilience And Sense Of Coherence In Adult Transgender Persons: Identifying Predictors To Reduce Health Disparities In A Vulnerable Population, Jake Bush

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

National studies revealed the transgender population has barriers to positive health outcomes, but also showed evidence of resilience. A focus on health strengths such as resilience may help mitigate health barriers. This work focused on the sociodemographic predictors of and interrelationships between resilience, sense of coherence (SOC), and health perception. There were three aims of this work. The first aim was to review the literature surrounding resilience and SOC in the adult transgender population. Results from an integrative literature review revealed three themes of resilience in the adult transgender population: social support, individual factors, and resources. Prior to the current …